Secret Love
by HeroInTheDark
Summary: This is a love story between Link and Zelda, and there's a lot of angst because of laws concerning who Zelda can and can't marry, and unfortunately for Link, he's on the list that can't marry Zelda because he's not a noble. Please critique!
1. Chapter 1

The Legend of Zelda

Secret Love

Note: This is written from Link's point of view.

Prologue:

The story takes place after the Seven Years' War and Ganon's defeat. Remember, when Link returned the Master Sword, time went back and he returned to age twelve, and helped fight during the wars. The fact that he's the Hero of Time is kept a secret to prevent difficulties with the populace of Hyrule and potential enemies.

Link is now Twenty years old, and Zelda is nineteen.

Chapter One

I wonder how many people know what it's like to be truly lonely. When my friends are constantly out of reach, I think I have full right to say that I'm pretty much alone in this world. Saria and Darunia are constantly moving back and forth between the Temple of Light in the Sacred Realm and their homes, and I really don't have much of a friendship with the other sages. (Especially Princess Ruto! Damn her fishy bitchiness!!!) Malon and I are good friends, but I never have much of a chance to visit the ranch, and even when I do, it's for a very limited amount of time. Then there's Zelda.

Yes, Zelda. The first time my eyes met hers eight years ago, I felt entranced. My God is she beautiful…and kind. To Zelda, I'm not that kid from the forest, not the "scary guy" who people try to avoid. I'm Link, just Link.

I thank the Goddesses for her strong spirit. If it wasn't for her assertiveness, I wouldn't be allowed near her at all. Because we have to keep my…status…a secret, no one but Zelda and the other sages know that I'm the Hero of Time, or about all of the trials I had to face to get Hyrule out of trouble. Sometimes it aggravates me, but most of the time I really don't mind. I really dislike being in the spotlight. Anyway, it took months for her to convince her father to give me access to the castle grounds, and although my mobility there is limited, I don't complain.

It was that time of year where the earth has just begun to wake up from the cold, dreary winter. The grass was quickly turning a bright green, the trees had grown small buds where the leaves would soon appear, and while riding across Hyrule Field, I could spot a few wild flowers here and there. Spring was finally here, and I could finally travel without that bothersome cloak. I had missed the warmth of the sun.

I also missed Zelda. It's been about a month since I had last seen her. I longed to see her ocean-blue eyes, her golden silky hair, and to hear her light and airy laugh. I was more than happy with the fact that I was going to visit her for a week.

It was around noon when I approached Hyrule Town. I dismounted Epona before I crossed the drawbridge that led to the heart of the town. As I said before, I hate being in the spotlight. I stood out enough just standing next to my horse. Walking through the battlements that was the first line of defense for both the town and the castle, I noticed the suspicious looks of the soldiers and felt a nasty fire of anger and frustration rise in my chest. Why wouldn't they trust me? Were there rumors about me floating around? Was it the way I dressed? Damn them. If it wasn't for me risking my life for Hyrule, they would be nothing but bloody pulp pounded into the pavement by Ganon's followers.

To keep myself calm, I forced myself to keep my mind on Zelda. At least she accepts me for who I really am.

Walking through the castle grounds wasn't exactly a walk in the park either. I try not to look too annoyed from the starring faces and suspicious eyes, but I guess I can't control my facial expressions well, because I noticed that the looks got uglier as I got closer to Hyrule Castle.

As I approached the gate that separated the town from the castle grounds, I began to relax. Roland was there. He's a guard just a few years my elder, and we usually get along fairly well. We've held a few conversations, and I know he trusts me unlike the other guards.

"Hey Link! Long time no see!" Finally, a friendly greeting.

"Tell me about it." It wasn't until after I replied that I noticed how cold I sounded.

Roland's smile fell. "What's going on with you? Rough time?"

"Yeah, you can sum it up pretty well with that."

"At least you have time to relax while you're here." His face was full of pity, and the anger started to come back a bit.

"Yeah, I'll see you later Roland."

He opened the gate and led me into the castle grounds. There were quite a few guards who let me know that they would be keeping an eye on me while I stayed. I tried my best not to give much notice to them as I led Epona to the stables. When I got there, all of my frustration melted away.

"Link!" There she was, her golden hair floating in the breeze, her ocean-blue eyes sparkling in the bright sunlight.


	2. Chapter 2

**The Legend of Zelda**

**Secret Love**

Chapter Two

She ran up to me and wrapped her arms around my neck, almost strangling me as she hugged me, but I didn't mind. I've suffered worse, and besides, it was a sign of affection, something that doesn't often come my way.

I was just as excited to see Zelda as she was to see me. In response to her hug, I wrapped my arms around her waist and swung her around in one of those wild embraces. It made her laugh. I loved to hear her laugh. It was bright and melodious, a beautiful sound. It made me laugh along with her.

Our eyes met as I placed her back on the ground. "I've been worried about you Link. You never wrote back to me. You're going to make me go bald or something!" Although a smile was plastered on her face, I couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt.

"I really intended to," I protested, but she interrupted.

"I know you put yourself through a lot, but I'm just joking." My heart sank a bit. Did she worry at all? "I know you can take care of yourself Link, but if I ever end up seeing you come back in more than one piece, you better expect me to jump down your throat." Her smile widened, and mine did as well. I played along.

"Would you at least put me back together?"

"Only after I chewed you out."

"Fair enough."

"But really Link, I'm happy to see you. My father's trying to find a suitor for me, and it's getting pretty aggravating."

A _suitor_???

Zelda must have read my thoughts, unless of course they showed up on my face.

"I wouldn't worry about it if I were you. Most of them have been making complete fools of themselves, so my father is rejecting most of them. Actually, a Sir Nomelov is supposed to arrive later tonight. I'm sorry that all this is going on while you're here. I would much rather spend time with you than these stuck-up snobs. Anyway, I have to go get ready for him." With that, she gave me another hug and left me alone with Epona.


	3. Chapter 3

The Legend of Zelda

Secret Love

Chapter Three

It was useless. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get the frustration, anger, and sorrow out of my heart. Why was I reacting like this? I knew this was coming, but I didn't expect the rush of emotion that would come with the news. I just couldn't stand the fact that when she did marry, she wouldn't need me around anymore. Her suitor would be well trained in both combat and war strategy, at least I would assume so. What role would I play then? Would our friendship last after the marriage? Even if it did, I doubt that her husband would like me spending any time with her. In the best possible situation, I would be forbidden to step foot near the castle, not to mention Zelda herself.

For that entire first night I was at the castle, I couldn't even sit still let alone sleep regardless of how fatigued I was from my travels. I would just pace the bedroom, pondering what would happen to my relationship with the princess, and once I thought through that for a few seconds, it would fly out of my head and then I would wonder why I was so upset in the first place. It a vicious cycle, and I hated every part of it.

The next morning wasn't any better. I was tired, and in a horrible mood. The guards took notice, and their defensive looks didn't improve anything. There was really only one thing I could do to try to get a release, and that was going to the practice ring. I picked up my sword, and headed out.

I can't think of any better anger management than by imagining a bunch of dummies as enemies only to batter the hell out of them. The king doesn't really like it when I practice like this, for I tend to obliterate the dummies, even if they're brand new. They're made out of hard woods and metal, and there's even a protective spell on them. Because of the Triforce however, I can break the spell with no problem, and I usually don't realize I've broken it until it's too late.

After an hour or two of destroying my "enemies", I finally felt calm enough to wash up and relax. The shower was hot, and for the most part I just stood there and let the heat sooth my aching muscles. I could hardly remember feeling so clean. I'd bathe more often, but exposing myself to the dangers in Hyrule just doesn't appeal to me.

As I stepped out of the shower, I heard a knock on my bedroom door. Normally, I would have answered it, but being that I was still naked, I yelled out instead. "I'm a little busy!"

To my joy…and embarrassment…I heard Zelda's voice reply, "I'll come back a little later-"

"NO!!! I mean, no! I'll just finish up!" I got dressed as fast as I could. It was a bit more difficult than usual, for my skin was still steamy and damp, and the clothes (which were very clean) wanted to stick to me. Looking back, I realize how comical I must have looked, jumping around the bathroom, nearly knocking down everything that could get knocked down, and only to put on a pair of pants.

I tumbled out of the bathroom and into the bedroom, yet somehow managed to be much more sophisticated when I open the door leading to the hallway despite the pounding of my heart and the renewed nausea. I slowly opened the door and peeked outside. Seeing that Zelda didn't leave, I opened it wider and motioned for her to come in. It was at that moment that I realized how much noise I probably made in my haste to get dressed. Looking back at Zelda, I followed her gaze into the bathroom and saw the mess I made. There were multiple bars of soap strewn across the creamy tile floor, the towel was somehow hung on top of the mirror above the sink, and I even managed to rip the shower curtain.

My face on fire, I used my magic to command the door shut. I couldn't remember a more awkward moment. Zelda didn't seem to mind. In fact, it seemed her mind was on something else, something more serious.

"Link, can I ask you something?" She had a very worried expression on her face, which made me worried as well.

"Sure."

Zelda sat on the neatly made bed. Since I didn't sleep the night before, I didn't mess up the sheets. "Is there anything you might want to talk about?"

Once again, the temperature of my face sky-rocketed. "No. Why do ask?"

"Well, a lot of the practice dummies were…broken, and the only person who does that to new ones is you, and you only do that when you get upset about something."

"I've just been stressed. I needed to vent on something." I hoped that she wouldn't pick up that I was only telling her half the truth. With the look that appeared on her face, it looked like I hoped in vain.

"Well, if you want to talk to someone, you know I'm available right?"

"Yeah." What was she getting at? What did she want me to say? I didn't even know why I was feeling the way I was, or, more truthfully, I didn't want to admit it to myself.

"I'll see you later Link. I'm supposed to be having tea with Sir Namelov. He arrived late last night, so I haven't actually met him yet. I hope he's not as pompous as his name is." After that, she was gone.

Once again, I felt like I needed to destroy something. I don't know what it was, but just hearing Namelov's name made me angry. The fact that Zelda was going to tea with him didn't improve the situation. There were too many thoughts rushing through my head, and I couldn't stop them. What if he's aggressive? What if he's only after power? Or worse, what if he's actually a good man for Zelda to marry?

It didn't take long for my anger to fade, but the only thing that followed was depression. After arguing with myself, I finally accepted the fact that I loved Zelda. There couldn't be any other reason for my reactions with Zelda's news about Namelov. Legally, the only choice I had was to forget about her. Only those of a high social rank had any chance of marrying her, and I was far below the line. Her father would probably have me imprisoned if he found out how I felt.

The rest of my day was spent sulking and wondering what I should do. Part of me wanted to tell Zelda. Maybe she felt the same way about me? (Yeah, right.) Part of me didn't want her to know. What if it just made things…awkward? If she didn't have these feelings, which was likely the case, wouldn't that information just make her uncomfortable?

It wasn't until after dinner-which I couldn't remember eating because of my overactive thoughts-that I made my decision. I wouldn't tell Zelda anything. It would only cause her stress and it would most likely destroy our friendship. I'd rather be her friend than not.

I don't know how, but I eventually made it to sleep that night.


	4. Chapter 4

Legend of Zelda

Secret Love

Chapter 4

My mood failed to improve when I woke up. Finding out that the love of your life is going to marry someone else doesn't really give you happy thoughts. The weather also must have been in a bad mood as well, for it was dark, gloomy and wet all day.

Walking around the palace, I could tell that everyone else seemed to be in a negative mood. Perhaps it was the weather, or maybe it was the stress caused by Nomilov. He was an important guest, so the castle's staff was kept on their toes at all times. Either way, the lack of optimism didn't help my own mood.

I headed towards the kitchens. The head cook was a plump lady who always had energy to boss her underlings around. Despite her assertiveness, she was usually a nice person to talk to. She didn't seem to mind my company either, for she didn't seem to care that I wasn't a noble. She was one of the few that didn't seem to think that I was friends with Zelda for benefits. Other than being a social outlet for me, she really was a wonderful cook, and would go out of her way to make me something to eat. Whether it was simple like soup or an entire entre, it was always delicious.

The kitchen was bustling with activity. It was about time for lunch, so everyone was busy getting everything perfect for the guest. Fortunately, I arrived when the final touches were being applied, so I didn't have to wait long to talk to Mernea and get my own lunch.

A piece of bread almost hit me in the face when I sat down at the stool by the counter. I was lucky to catch it without it falling to the floury floor. Mernea laughed as I gave her a scowl and bit into the piece of bread.

"Now don't give me that look," she replied to my scowling face. "You're gonna have to treat me nicer if you want my chicken soup." Mernea's soup was always delicious, so I gave her a smile. I wasn't going to get stuck with only a piece of bread to eat. Her cooking was probably going to be the only thing to cheer me up today.

Mernea soon got me a bowl of her soup, and I didn't wait to start eating. I heard her laugh while attending to some cooking. "Looks like you missed my cooking like always. I wish I could get the same reaction out of that '_Nomelov_' character!" I stopped eating when I heard the name. Since this guy had a high chance of marrying Zelda, I was interested in knowing what he was like.

Swallowing, I followed up on Mernea's statement. "What do you mean by that?"

"Oh, you haven't seen him yet." I shook my head. I didn't know if I wanted to see him. "He's like a lot of the other high nobles that come around from time to time. Thinks he knows everything. He had the nerve to send back his plate the other day. Said I was a lousy cook." I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. Anyone calling this woman a lousy cook had to be insane. I opened my mouth to speak, but Mernea cut me off. "And believe it or not, but I'm one of the lucky ones. One of the maids was carryin' a large bundle of laundry back to His Highness' room. Poor child, she could barely see over the top of that stack! And that Nomelov, he came down the stairs as she was walkin' up and ran into her. She almost fell down a whole flight of stairs! Could've broken her neck. Then that noble had the gull to tell her to watch where she was goin' or he'd get her flogged the next time!" This bit of information made me more uncomfortable.

"You think the King's going to let him marry the Princess?"

"I don't know." Mernea shook her head and sighed. "I've listened to this guy talk, and boy, does he have a way with words. He could get away with anything he wanted to. He's almost got the King wrapped around his little finger, and I won't be surprised if there is a wedding."

Mernea and I were able to change the subject and talk about happier things while I finished my lunch. All the while however, I had everything that Mernea said in my mind. Zelda was smart, so I wasn't too worried about her judgment on Nomilov. I was worried about how much influence the nobleman really had on her father, and whether or not she would be forced to bow down to his authority.

Maybe it was time for me to meet Sir Nomilov.


End file.
